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Alfred M Whitney (1804-1866)
}} Biography He "Capt." married, 14 Dec 1825, Jackson, ME, "Miss" Lucinda Ring "both of Brooks",1 daughter of Iphedeiah and Mary (Piper) Ring. She was born 7 Feb 1804, NH, and died 17 Aug 1870. Major Alfred M Whitney learned the trade of cloth fuller in his father's mill in Brooks, ME. The work not agreeing with him, he was elected sheriff of Somerset County, Maine, and was major in the state militia, by which title he was known through life. He was a successful business man and became associated with General Cunningham, of Poughkeepsie, NY, in vast land speculations, of which he was the manager. Their interest included West Virginia and Lowell, MA. Poughkeepsie was the headquarters, and Mr. Whitney moved his family there. There were no railways then and the capitalists invested largely in real estate. The Mansion House in Poughkeepsie was the principal rendezvous. It was a grand hotel then, in 1836, and the scene of much gaiety. Among others with whom Major Whitney was associated were Gen. Walter Cunningham, Judge James Emott, the Van Rennsalers, Millard Fillmore, William H. Seward (who settled in Auburn to manage some of their landed affairs), Hon. Meron R. Strong and other leading lawyers of New York City. Mr. Whitney was a very modest and retiring man and took no pride in any public matter except in Masonry. He was the master of the lodge wherever he resided. He also took pride in his military career. He was married in Newport, ME, and resided in Fairfield, where he had charge of the cloth mill, and remained there until his removal to Poughkeepsie in 1836, where he resided until 1841, when he moved to Brooklyn, NY, then to West Virginia, where he managed large landed interest and some mills, then to Champaign, IL, and finally to Chicago, where he died. He was interred with Masonic honors at Rose Hill. One who knew him intimately says he was one of the ablest business men he ever knew, but too visionary and too modest. He made fortunes for others, but when he made one for himself, as he frequently did, he branched out and got "squeezed." He has owned property in his day, which had he held, would have made his heirs immensely rich. He was a most generous man in all ways; he has helped make the political success of many men, but never took anything himself, except mayor of his city or justice of the peace. He was on the point of becoming county judge of Champaign County, Illinois, when it was found that he had not gained a residence there. He resided Detroit, ME, and Chicago, IL. Marriage & Family Alfred married his step-sister. Lucinda Ring (1804-1870) was the daughter of Mary Piper's first marriage. She later married to Alfred's father, Rev Samuel Whitney. # Samuel Whitney (1828-1829) - died young # Henry Clay Whitney (1831-1905) - lawyer and closer friend to US President Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865) and later became his biographer # Mary Frances Whitney (1833-) - educated at Felicity seminary in Ohio # Sarah Jane Whitney (1835-) - educated at Felicity seminary in Ohio References * Alfred M Whitney - Whitney Family Index Category:Maine sheriffs